What to pack: a handy guide for your next holiday

Few things are as exciting as planning a holiday—the research, must see destinations and the anticipation of new adventures and relaxing experiences. The same can not be said for packing. One of the last things on the ‘to do’ list before a holiday, packing is a necessary chore to get you where you want to go.

At All Australian Journeys, we’ve taken some packing pros on our coach, rail, flight and cruise holidays, so here’s our handy guide to make packing a little easier, saving you space in your bags and time on your holiday.

Pack what you can manage

Remember that airlines and tour operators will have size and weight restrictions on your luggage, so it can be a good idea to weigh your bags before you leave. All Australian Journeys request a limit of 5kg for carry on bags and 20kg for suitcases stored under the coach.

However, the best rule of thumb is to only make your bags as heavy as you can lift. While there will often be staff around who are willing to help unload your bags, in most instances it is the passenger’s responsibility to be able to transport their bags to and from hotel rooms and coaches.

These are the essentials

Resist the temptation to pack an outfit for every possible occasion. Not only will your bags be heavy and full of clothes that you’ll probably never wear, you’ll spend a lot of time searching through your bags every day. Here’s what you should always have in your bag:

clothes that are casual and lightweight and don’t need ironing

one smart outfit

two pairs of shoes only—this is where weight quickly adds up!

travel sized toiletries to save space and weight, and always wrap in a plastic bag in case of spills

a universal power adaptor for international holidays so that you can plug in or charge your phone, camera, shaver…

a wide top plug for sinks so that you can do essential clothes washing in your hotel room.

Packing cheats

Roll your clothes—this saves space and they tend to crease less

Bring 3-4 pegs—not just for overnight drying of clothes, pegs are handy to hold together curtains and stop the morning sun from waking you up early on your holiday

If you do wash in your ensuite, wrap wash clothes in a clean dry towel and step on it to get as much moisture out as you can before hanging

If travelling as a couple—or with a good friend—split your belongings between your cases, just in case something does happen to one of your bags